Author Archives: Erika Cule

Surprises: Notes from my first year as a practicing Christian

Posted on 26 December 2023 by Erika Cule

Christmas 2022, Christ Church, Harpenden: a riot of 200 people in a school hall. An invitation to join home group. Joining the Teas and Coffees Rota. Learning the drill, and the importance of the ministry of hospitality. Contemporary Christian Music. … Continue reading →

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John Jackson OBE (1934 – 2023)

Posted on 5 March 2023 by Erika Cule

It is good to read about a life well-lived, I think. Especially if you struggle with your own existential dread. (Following Covid, isn’t that all of us, to a degree?) My mother’s Uncle, John, to us “Uncle John” even though … Continue reading →

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I am evangelical about this

Posted on 14 January 2023 by Erika Cule

PhD students should* consider industry roles; academics should not dissuade them. Ten years ago today I began my career as a statistical consultant in the pharmaceutical industry. I went directly from my PhD: I submitted my PhD thesis on a … Continue reading →

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Computers these days

Posted on 11 January 2023 by Erika Cule

When I was in primary school, in the early nineties, Tesco ran a scheme called Computers for Schools. Shopping at Tesco earned paper vouchers which were collected by local schools. When a school had collected enough vouchers, they could spend them … Continue reading →

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Darwin and the divine

Posted on 1 January 2023 by Erika Cule

On Boxing Day, Jerry Coyne posted his blog post The New York Times touts religious miracles as proof of God. In his post, Coyne deconstructs an essay published in the New York Times. The essay by Molly Worthern uses individual … Continue reading →

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Aphorism

Posted on 23 March 2020 by Erika Cule

Do one day at a time. If you can’t do a day at a time, do an hour at a time. If you can’t do an hour at a time, go minute by minute. If you can’t do minutes, do … Continue reading →

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What is it like to go dating for the first time?

Posted on 22 March 2020 by Erika Cule

In the video, I explore what it is like to go dating for the first time. With thanks to Kate Smurthwaite (who introduces me here and who taught me stand-up comedy), City Academy (through whom I took this course) and … Continue reading →

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Making it up as I go along

Posted on 24 February 2019 by Erika Cule

Until recently, I dreaded public speaking. Hated it, even. No-one told me, when I set out to become a scientist, that presenting my work in front of an audience would be expected. Being scheduled to give a talk, to immediate … Continue reading →

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The New Awkward

Posted on 13 January 2019 by Erika Cule

Blogging lends itself to the meta. Over the years, when I have been battered, bruised and even left bleeding from online exchanges, I think back to my abrupt and unintentional induction into science communication; to my first forays into blogging. I … Continue reading →

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Ten papers for ten years

Posted on 18 November 2018 by Erika Cule

Blogging Beyond is about ten years old now.  To celebrate, here are ten papers I like, in chronological order by publication date. Each is accompanied by a short justification for its inclusion in this list.  Ridge Regression: Biased estimation for … Continue reading →

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